NHTSA campaign 21V00F000 · manufacturer recall N212346640

2010–2013 Buick and Chevrolet: suspension recall

Q: Is N212346640 the same recall as 21V00F000?

Yes. N212346640 is the number General Motors, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 21V00F000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

high 4,271 vehicles affected

Also on this page:

What was reported

Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573

Problem General Motors, LLC (GM) is recalling certain 2010-2013 Buick Lacrosse, 2012-2013 Buick Regal, and 2013 Chevrolet Malibu vehicles sold or ever registered in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, or Wisconsin. These vehicles may have rear toe links that received an improper amount of electrocoating (e-coat) corrosion protection, which could cause the e-coat to become brittle and break away when contacted by road debris. Over time, the e-coat may chip away, exposing the metal toe link and making it more susceptible to corrosion. Corrosion may eventually cause the toe link to thin and ultimately fracture. Risk A rear toe link fracture may reduce the driver's ability to control the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. Fix Dealers will replace the rear suspension toe links and adjuster fasteners, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 27, 2022. Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300 or Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is N212346640. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recalls 20V-764 and 21V-633.

Reported to NHTSA Dec 22, 2021 by General Motors, LLC, owners notified Jan 27, 2022.

Which vehicles are covered

Source: NHTSA campaign 21V00F000

Model year	On WhichTrim
2010 Buick Lacrosse	every Buick on this site
2011 Buick Lacrosse	every Buick on this site
2012 Buick Lacrosse	every Buick on this site
2013 Buick Lacrosse	every Buick on this site
2012 Buick Regal	every Buick on this site
2013 Buick Regal	every Buick on this site
2013 Chevrolet Malibu	every Chevrolet on this site

None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →

The federal paperwork

Source: nhtsa.gov

Filed documents

Defect report PDF — The manufacturer's own filing to NHTSA describing the defect, the risk and the affected build range.
Owner letter PDF — The letter mailed to registered owners, in full.

Check one specific vehicle

A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. NHTSA checks a VIN against the manufacturer's own list and tells you whether the repair is still outstanding on that vehicle.

NHTSA VIN recall lookup →

Campaign 21V00F000 · the manufacturer calls it N212346640

Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.

Common questions

Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573

Is N212346640 the same recall as 21V00F000?

Yes. N212346640 is the number General Motors, LLC uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 21V00F000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.

Does this recall repair cost anything?

No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.

How do I know whether my vehicle is included?

By VIN, not by model year. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.

What if the repair is not available yet?

It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.

What did the manufacturer say was wrong?

The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.

Who started this recall?

NHTSA's record credits the manufacturer. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.